


The Shadow of Reality

by starklyman



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s02e01 In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part 1, Gen, Josh POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-13
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-04-09 04:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4334237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starklyman/pseuds/starklyman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh's thoughts during the shooting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shadow of Reality

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first West Wing fic so please be nice. But constructive criticism is also appreciated. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> P.S. The West Wing is not mine.

Chaos.

It's all Josh can think of the situation. People running, people screaming, sirens blaring.

The only thing he can concentrate on is the sharp, searing pain spreading throughout his abdomen and chest. He presses one of his hands to the wound, futilely attempting to stop the blood flow.

He remembers the bite of the bullet piercing his skin and pushing through his flesh. He remembers looking down in shock and thinking, rather obviously, that he's just been shot. A hard shove brings him back to reality as he staggers against the crowd, struggling to stay upright. He forces himself to get to safety, to get away from the vulnerability of the open air and to the white wall he passed on the way down the stairs.

People rush past him, pushing him this way and that in their frantic need to get away. He briefly thinks of following them, but can't hold on to the thought because his head is spinning, his chest is searing, and the sirens are so damn loud.

After what seems like hours, but must have only been a minute or two, he reaches the wall and collapses down behind it. 

His fingers are sticky and wet, blood still flowing through the gaps and turning his blue shirt red. He puts his other hand on top of the wound as well, pressing as hard as he can, which, admittedly, is not very hard.

Josh doesn't know how long he stays there, the only thing he can think is how the blood is still dripping through his fingers, the yelling has mostly stopped, but the sirens are still so damn loud. His head is pounding and going fuzzy, but he has enough left in him to know that if he doesn't get help soon, he'll die.

The next thing he knows, someone is calling his name. The voice sounds familiar and he knows he should yell back, but his mind is still fuzzy and he realizes that his chest is starting to go numb which can't be good right?

"Josh! Didn't you hear me shouting for you? I didn't know where the hell-" Toby's words died in his throat as he saw him.

Josh can't move, can't gather the energy to move one muscle. He knows that the crippling weakness is from blood loss, but he can't bring himself to care. Can only look at Toby, his eyes pleading and begging until blackness begins to encroach on his vision.

Toby takes a step back, his face turning into a mask of dread.

"I need a- I need a doctor! I need help!"

Josh's head is hazy and he can't think straight, can barely think at all. The blackness advances further until Toby is just a pinprick in the distance and he falls sideways, Toby rushing forward to catch him before his head can hit the ground and then nothing.

When he wakes up everything is bright and he's moving and Sam is standing above him and he doesn't know why because they have to get to Nashua.


End file.
